That Beech Tree
by Procrastinator-starting2moro
Summary: James decides his favourite beech tree needs sprucing up for Christmas...with stolen decorations. A James and Lily sixth year one shot. Fluff is inevitable, my minions.


Disclaimer**:** I own nothing

That Beech Tree

James Potter loved his Hogwarts lakeside beech tree as much as Professor Sprout liked plants, as much as Slughorn liked midnight snacking on pumpkin pastries, even as much as Professor Trelawney loved to clog up her Divination classroom with those smelly, overpowering incense sticks.

If it was Christmas for James Potter, it was Christmas for the beech tree. That was why said boy was clothed in several layers of jumpers knitted by his mother, a pair of mittens, and a woolly hat to cover his unruly hair, perfect for the snowy outdoors and perfect to keep him warm while he decorates his favourite beech tree outside with Christmas decorations.

He stood by the frozen lake holding a bundle of tinsel and sparkly ornaments in his arms and started to hang the embellishments with flicks of his wand. He was doing this by himself, of course, because the other Marauders had claimed that it was indeed something to "do by himself, just him and the beech tree", along with complaints of "Are you mad? It's sodding freezing outside!" and "No way am I freezing my bits off!"

"_All I want for Christmas is yooooooou,_" James sang to himself.

He always thought Christmas songs were cheesy, and anyone who sang them were idiots, but he was in such a jolly festive mood he didn't care. It was especially more enjoyable singing the song in a Scottish accent, or perhaps with a lisp.

"_Jingle bells, Padfoot smells, Merlin just blew wind_--"

"Potter?"

He jumped out of his skin at the sudden company, dropping his wand into the snow. Luckily he had his gloves, scrambling to pick it up. He leant against the bark of the tree and replied coolly, "Hey Evans."

Lily responded with a sceptic look and found her gaze drifting to a Christmas card stuck to the trunk of the tree. She opened up the card and found the message: 'TO TREE. SEASONS GREETINGS, MATE. FROM PADFOOT THE GREAT.'

"What in Merlin's name…?" Lily finally took notice of the badly hung tinsel dangled over the branches. A look which said 'good grief' revealed her mood, only worsening what with the cold weather which made her grouchier. "Potter, do you realise there is a Christmas tree inside the castle that is completely bare and without decorations?"

"Oh, really?" said James, looking innocent. Keeping his hand low by his thigh away from Lily's eyes as her back faced the tree, he tapped his wand and the decorations shifted a fraction, attempting to hide themselves.

Lily glanced over her shoulder when she heard a jingling, then looked at James again. "You stole them, didn't you?" she accused him.

"I don't know what you're talking about." James tapped his wand again and the decorations slipped further from view.

"What are you…?" Lily whipped round and spotted the decorations trying to slink out of sight. "Take them down," she ordered.

"No," James scoffed.

Lily clenched her fists. "Fine. Then _I_ will."

Stepping on her tiptoes, she reached out to grab silver tinsel, but James made it rise higher with a swish of his wand.

"Stop that!"

"No," James fought against her with a smirk.

Lily countered his smirk with her own malicious one. "_Fine_."

Grabbing her wand from her pocket, she pointed at a glittery ball and hovered it towards her. James already had his wand ready to fly the ball back onto the tree.

"_Stop that!_" Lily said again.

"_No!_"

The two were now in a battle of wands as they flicked, swished and waved. The scuffle got more violent as dirty tactics followed. Elbowing each other and shoving their hands into one another's faces ensued.

"_Ow!_ You're _hurting_ me!" Lily cried out as James pushed his hand into her cheek to hinder her hand-eye coordination. Sure, he fancied her like hell, but he wouldn't let her win. He was an extremely competitive person, hence the reason why whenever he lost a Quidditch match, his team mates had to stop him from killing himself. Thankfully, Gryffindor rarely lost.

Finally, Lily gave up after as James bashed into her with his hip and she nearly toppled over into the snow. "For God's sake!" she howled in defeat. "What is your problem? You should be concentrating on decorating the nice trees, like the ones inside. Not this ugly one," she gestured to the tree with a scowl. James gasped and the decorations dropped from the tree the second he lost control of his wand. He took a dangerous step towards her.

"Do not diss the tree, Evans."

Lily looked at James incredulously, snorted and gave the tree a swift kick. James gasped again.

"_Do not hurt the tree!_" James yelled indignantly. "_That_ tree-" he pointed "-is where the Marauders were officially named 'The Marauders'! _That tree_ is where Sirius learnt his first words longer than three syllables and four letters! _That tree_ is where Remus finally revealed his feelings known for the opposite sex in ways that he only described for the love of books! _That tree_ is where Peter finally stood up to Sirius' teasing! _That tree_," he heaved for air, "was the first time I sat and looked across the lake, saw you, and thought 'she's the one'."

Lily felt her throat tighten and she blushed to the roots of hair, her red face standing out as boldly as her hair against the snowy white surroundings.

"But, I, um…" James sputtered. "Forget that last one," he pleaded with embarrassment. "Merry Christmas."

He turned around and continued hanging more tinsel.

"You are an idiot," he muttered under his breath. "A complete and utter moron…"

He suddenly caught his breath when something soft and warm touched his wrist. It was Lily's hand.

"It's better to do it the Muggle way," she said.

Exhaling noisily, she crouched to the ground, picked up a dropped angel ornament and placed it on a branch, then began rearranging the tinsel. She quirked an eyebrow at James. "Happy now, Potter?"

James' look of confusion slowly grew into a shy smile. "Ecstatic," he murmured, picking up a star decoration and joining her side, daring to stand as close to her as he could risk.

Little did they know, one year later that same beech tree would be the very spot they would share their first kiss.


End file.
